The Three Teachings Converge into One: The Path of the Mortal and the Saintly is the Same

Poetry:

The battle on the snowy plateau determines life and death; the three passes test the true gold.

Jingwei shed her blood to pave the way to heaven, and the Great Way returns to the heart, bringing peace to the four seas.

After Su Qingxuan's great victory over Langdarma at Tucheng, Gar Tongtsen sent envoys to apologize, offering to open the southern route and presenting cattle, horses, and medicinal herbs as a gesture of goodwill.

However, Su Qingxuan knew that this was merely a temporary measure by Tibet to avoid direct confrontation.

There were undercurrents in Lhasa. How could the Tibetan nobles, who had made a living by fighting and plundering for generations, easily give up their weapons?

A real storm is brewing on the snowy peaks.

On the tenth day of their westward journey along the southern route, the mission arrived at the "snow line pass" at an altitude of over 5,000 meters.

This place is the only way to cross the foothills of the Nyainqêntanglha Mountains.

With towering ice peaks on both sides and a narrow pass in the middle, the wind howls year-round and snow falls even in July.

It was late autumn, and the snow at the pass was deep enough to reach the horses' bellies, making the march extremely difficult.

"Minister Su, the scouts ahead report that the narrowest part of the pass has been buried by an avalanche and needs to be cleared before it can be passed."

Lei Hu rode back, his beard and eyebrows covered in white frost. "Judging from the marks, this avalanche doesn't seem to be a natural disaster..."

Su Qingxuan looked up. He saw snow piled high like mountains at the mountain pass, with dark, strangely shaped rocks faintly visible. He closed his eyes, concentrated for a moment, and slowly said:

"The avalanche was man-made."

"Beneath the snowdrifts lie caltrops and horse traps. Two hundred soldiers lie in ambush at the pass, and three hundred archers, all dressed in white robes, blending in with the snow, lie in wait on the ice cliffs on either side. Further away, in an ice cave, two thousand elite troops are hidden, judging by their banners—"

They were the private soldiers of the Niang and Xubu clans.

Zhou Wenjin gasped: "They actually set up an ambush here! This is a dead end, a place where one man can hold off ten thousand."

If we attack head-on, we will be met with rolling logs and boulders; if we take a detour, we will have to travel an additional 800 li and pass through "Death Valley," a place filled with swamps and rampant miasma...

"They predicted we would take this route." Lin Wanqing unfolded the map and tapped it lightly with her fingertip.

"Minister Su, please look, there are three routes from Namtso to Lhasa."

"The northern route passes through the Qiangtang Grassland, which is flat but takes a long detour; the central route is this snow line pass, which is the closest but also the most dangerous; the southern route passes through the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, which requires crossing rapids and climbing cliffs."

"They laid an ambush here because they knew we were eager to go to Lhasa for the alliance meeting and would choose the middle way."

Chi Ying, with his hand on his sword, said coldly, "I can lead the Vanguard Team in a night raid on the Ice Cliff and eliminate the archers first."

"No." Su Qingxuan shook his head.

"Look at the reflection on that ice cliff—the cliff face has been splashed with water and turned into ice, making it slippery and impossible to walk on."

The temperature plummeted overnight, making the ice even more slippery, difficult to climb even for experts in light-footed martial arts. Their choice of this spot for an ambush was deliberate.

Everyone fell silent.

If several thousand people were trapped on this snowfield at an altitude of 5,000 meters, over time, even without an enemy attack, altitude sickness and the extreme cold would take the lives of most of them.

Xiao Lingxi suddenly spoke softly, "Brother Su, I...I have an idea."

"In the past few days, I have been observing the vegetation here and have found a small purple-stemmed grass called 'Hot Mulberry', which only grows near the snow line. The stems and leaves of this grass contain oil, making it flammable and durable."

"If enough is collected, soak it in snow water for the time it takes to burn half an incense stick, then let it dry until it is half-dry. When lit, it produces a great deal of smoke with a pungent aroma that can be carried by the wind for miles..."

Su Qingxuan's eyes lit up: "You mean, use smoke as a curtain to mislead the enemy?"

"Hmm." Xiao Lingxi nodded, then hesitated, "But we need a lot of hot mulberry grass, and we need to accurately judge the wind direction. If the wind direction is wrong, it will fumes us instead."

"I'll handle the wind direction." Su Qingxuan stood up, grabbed a handful of snow powder, and tossed it into the air, watching the trajectory of the scattered snow powder.

"The wind will shift to the southeast in an hour and will last for half a day."

"Lei Hu, lead five hundred men and quickly gather hot mulberry grass."

"Chen Shitou, you take a small team of ten men, dressed in white, and sneak to the snowdrift. Bury some grease and sulfur there. Go quickly and come back quickly. Be extremely careful and don't be reckless."

"Zhao Baichuan, take your archers and prepare the fire arrows."

"Red Tassel, organize the vanguard. When the smoke rises, cover your faces with damp cloths and launch a surprise attack on the pass."

"Zhou Wenjin, take command of the central army and obey my orders!"

"promise!"

An hour later, a southeast wind began to blow.

Thousands of bundles of hot mulberry grass were piled up downwind of the pass, and when they were lit, thick smoke billowed straight up the icy cliff!

The smoke was pungent and acrid, causing the soldiers lying in ambush at the pass and on the cliff to have tears streaming down their faces, cough incessantly, and have their vision completely obstructed.

"Fire!" Zhao Baichuan gave the order, and hundreds of rockets were launched at the snowdrifts, igniting the grease, sulfur and other substances buried beneath.

With a deafening roar, the snowdrift exploded, revealing the barbed wire and horse traps.

"Spearhead Team, follow me!" Chi Yingqing shouted, leading three hundred elite soldiers, stepping on the still-burning ashes, and rushing towards the mountain pass.

She moved with lightning speed, weaving through the gaps between the rolling logs and boulders, her spear flashing as she killed the Tibetan soldiers who tried to stop her.

Three hundred men behind them formed a sharp cone formation, their faces covered with wet cloths, and charged into the mountain pass like wolves among sheep.

Facing the Tibetan soldiers who were blinded by the thick smoke and coughing incessantly, they were cut down like vegetables.

"All troops, charge!" Su Qingxuan gave the order.

Zhou Wenjin led two thousand Imperial Guards and surged forward like a tidal wave.

The battle was fierce; arrows rained down from the cliff, boulders rolled, and people fell one after another.

But the Imperial Guards, fearless and relentless, charged forward wave after wave, finally succeeding after an hour.

Completely occupy the mountain pass.

The casualties were tallied: more than 200 people were killed or wounded, and more than 300 were injured.

The two thousand Tibetan private soldiers who were lying in ambush, seeing that the archers' ambush had failed and the Xia army's morale was high, abandoned more than two hundred corpses and retreated in panic.

Night, at the snow line pass. The cold wind is like a knife, and the campfire flickers.

The wounded soldiers' camp was filled with constant groans, and Xiao Lingxi and her medical team were working tirelessly.

Su Qingxuan inspected the various camps, administering respiration to the seriously injured to prolong their lives, and personally rubbing the limbs of soldiers suffering from frostbite.

His complexion remained normal, but those as observant as Chi Ying noticed that he was slightly sweating on his forehead.

He not only commanded the battle, but also used his inner energy to protect the entire army of several thousand men from the severe cold and strong winds.

They also continuously channeled their inner energy to the wounded soldiers, which consumed a great deal of their energy.

"Prime Minister Su, please rest for a moment." Zhou Wenjin held the hot soup in her hands, her eyes filled with tears.

Su Qingxuan waved his hand, looking towards the faint lights in the darkness of the southwest night—

That was the city of Lhasa, hundreds of miles away.

"This is just the beginning. Pass down the order: three shifts tonight, on high alert. The Tibetans won't just set up one ambush."

Before he could finish speaking, the sound of rapid hoofbeats suddenly came from the east!

A scout galloped into the camp, dismounted, and his voice was hoarse:

"Report! A large army has been spotted fifty li to the east! Approximately ten thousand men, carrying the banners of seven families including the Wei, Nu, and Chen clans, are rushing here day and night! They will arrive no later than tomorrow morning!"

A deathly silence fell over the camp. Having just endured a bloody battle, with nearly 20% casualties, the men and horses were exhausted. If they were to be surrounded by ten thousand men again…

Su Qingxuan smiled.

The smile, illuminated by the firelight, had a touch of childlike innocence.

"Perfect timing. I was just worried about Lhasa, where those noble lords were hiding in their houses and refusing to come out. Now that they're all gathered together, I don't have to go looking for them one by one."

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the assembled generals: "Zhou Wenjin, Lei Hu, Zhao Baichuan, Chen Shitou, and also Chi Ying, Wan Qing, Ling Yue, and Ling Xi—are you afraid?"

"We are not afraid!" the generals roared in unison.

"Good!" Su Qingxuan slowly walked up to the high place, his voice echoing throughout the entire camp.

"I know you're tired, hurt, and some of you are even... homesick. But look behind you—"

He pointed eastward.

"That is Luoyang, where your parents, wives and children, and the millions of people of the Great Xia Dynasty live."

Why are they able to live and work in peace and contentment? Because there is a barrier—

It's called the Great Wall, it's called the border, it's called—us!

"Every drop of blood we shed here means one less tear our elders back home will shed; every moment we stand here makes the borders of Great Xia more secure. This is not empty talk—"

He paused, then his voice was like metal on the ground: "Tonight, I want you to remember this forever—"

You are not alone.

Behind you lies the ancient Xia civilization, passed down for tens of thousands of years; the magnificent rivers and mountains of China; and the expectant gazes of hundreds of millions of compatriots.

"This battle is not for titles or honors, nor for gold or silver, but solely to tell the world:"

Those who offend our Great Xia, though far away, shall be punished! Those who protect our people, we will die ten thousand times without regret!

"I am willing to fight to the death alongside Prime Minister Su! I am willing to die for the Great Xia!"

Thousands of people roared in unison, their voices echoing through the snow-covered valley, even causing the cold wind to pause.

Su Qingxuan's military tactics always combined feints and real attacks.

He predicted that the Tibetan allied forces would attack from the eastern valley.

At the end of that canyon, there is a glacial lake called "Heavenly Lake," its surface frozen over, surrounded by a vast snowfield.

"Lei Hu, you will lead two hundred men to set up many flags in the forest east of the lake and light many torches at night to create the illusion that the main force is stationed there."

"Zhao Baichuan led three hundred archers and lay in ambush behind the snow-covered hill west of the lake."

"Chen Shitou led five hundred men to set up tripwires and caltrops on the rocky beach in Hunan."

"Red-tasseled troops led the spearhead squad to roam and provide support, concealing the battlefield."

"Zhou Wenjin led five hundred men to protect the clerks, non-combat personnel, and supplies."

"What about the remaining five hundred men?" Lei Hu asked.

Su Qingxuan looked towards a steep ice slope to the north: "I will take charge."

"Prime Minister Su, you mustn't!" everyone urged.

Su Qingxuan waved his hand: "My mind is made up!"

"Remember, the key to this battle lies in 'timing' and 'momentum'."

"We have three thousand infantrymen facing ten thousand cavalrymen. No matter how you look at it, we have no chance of winning."

"However, once their formation breaks down, their cavalry can no longer move freely across this snowy plain..."

"At this moment, the advantage lies with our Great Xia Mo Dao."

"We are about to fight a battle where the weak defeat the strong, and the few defeat the many."

"First, when the enemy arrives at the lake and sees the lights in the forest, they will assume that our main force is here and will launch a full-scale attack."

"After the entire army crossed the lake, Zhao Baichuan launched a rapid barrage of rockets. The enemy, thinking they had fallen into a trap, turned south to seek a way out."

"Chen Shitou used tripwires and caltrops to cut off their retreat. Just as they were in a panic and their horses slowed down, Lei Hu led the Mo Dao team out of the forest again, completing the combined attack."

"And I—" He looked at the icy slope.

"Once their formation is thrown into disarray, I will descend from the high ground and strike directly at their center, annihilating them in one fell swoop with overwhelming force."

"But that ice slope is almost vertical, how can we get down it?" Zhou Wenjin asked anxiously.

Su Qingxuan did not answer, but only said to Xiao Lingxi:

"Lingxi, I need a medicine that, once taken, can make one's blood and qi surge, make one impervious to the cold, and double one's strength, but..."

All of these medicines have side effects; after the effects wear off, one may feel weak for one or two days.

Is it possible to formulate this medicine?

Xiao Lingxi was taken aback, then quickly thought, "There is...there is a way!"

"Use snow lotus as the main ingredient, Rhodiola rosea as the secondary ingredient, supplemented with Notopterygium incisum, Aconitum carmichaelii, and cinnamon, and a small amount of Datura stramonium for pain relief."

However, this formula is dangerous; if a person with a weak constitution takes it, it may cause their heart to burst and lead to death…”

"Half the portion," Su Qingxuan nodded. "Make five hundred servings."

"Five hundred copies?!" Xiao Lingxi exclaimed in shock.

"These five hundred men are the bravest and most valiant warriors in my Great Xia army. If they dare to submit, I dare to lead them to create miracles!"

Su Qingxuan's gaze swept over the five hundred soldiers who stood silently in awe.

"You—dare you?"

"Dare!" the five hundred men roared in unison, not one of them flinching.

That night, the moon was dark and the wind was high.

The Tibetan allied forces of 10,000 arrived as scheduled. Seeing the bright lights in the forest east of the lake, they indeed assumed that the main force of the Xia army was there.

Commander-in-Chief Wei Kilimanjaro then ordered the entire army to cross the lake on the ice and head straight for the forest area, intending to win in one battle with overwhelming force.

Just as the entire army entered the center of the lake, a sudden change occurred!

"Fire!" Zhao Baichuan gave the order, and five hundred rockets shot towards the lake! The arrowheads of the rockets were coated with sulfurous oil, and they would ignite upon contact with objects, horses, or people!

Even more strangely, bubbles were rising from beneath the ice—

It turned out that Xiao Lingxi had already ordered people to drill holes under the ice and pour in hot mulberry juice and oil, which ignited immediately upon contact with fire, turning the lake into a sea of ​​flames!

The thin ice shattered, and the first to be hit were the three thousand vanguards, who cried out in alarm and fell into the water, freezing and drowning instantly.

"We've fallen for their trap! Retreat!"

Wei Qilixu looked towards the direction Zhao Baichuan had fired his arrow and urgently ordered, "Retreat south!"

However, Chen Shitou had cut off their southern retreat, and the tripwires and caltrops caused the Tibetan cavalry to fall over.

Lei Hu then led his Mo Dao troops out of the forest, like tigers descending the mountain, pouncing on the enemy and cutting them down as easily as chopping melons and vegetables.

however,

After all, people are afraid of death, and the instinct for survival led the Tibetan army to launch a desperate counterattack amidst the brief chaos of being attacked from both sides.

The two sides engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand combat on the snowy plains of Tianhu Lake.

Every second, the Imperial Guards were reaping the lives of their enemies, and every second, someone was falling.

However, although the Imperial Guards were brave, their numbers were far inferior, and they could only barely maintain a stalemate, and their casualties continued to increase.

Just then, a hundred torches suddenly lit up on the ice slope to the north!

The ice slope was as steep as a mirror, more than thirty feet high, and was originally a natural barrier.

But at this moment, five hundred Xia soldiers descended like divine warriors, leaping down the icy slope!

They were radiating heat, their eyes were bloodshot, and the white breath they exhaled lingered—the result of taking potent drugs.

Leading the charge, Su Qingxuan, his purple robes fluttering like a roc spreading its wings, charged into the enemy ranks, his attacks relentless and overwhelming.

Five hundred Great Xia Imperial Guards followed closely behind, like red-hot daggers cutting into butter, instantly tearing apart the Tibetan army formation!

"Is that...is that a person or a ghost?" The Tibetan soldiers were horrified.

These Xia soldiers were fearless and fought on even after losing an arm. Their intestines were spilling out, and some soldiers even rolled into the sea of ​​fire with Tibetan soldiers in tow!

"It's the effect of the medicine!" Su Qingxuan knew perfectly well.

He knew that after this battle, even if the five hundred people did not die, at least 30% would suffer from lifelong illnesses or even lose ten years of their lifespan—after all, the result of being exhausted for one or two days was only suitable for martial artists with profound skills.

But war is just that cruel—

Some battles, even knowing they will come at a huge cost, must be fought.

Especially when the enemy outnumbers us, we must make sacrifices.

The bloody battle lasted for two hours.

The Tibetan army suffered over 7,000 casualties, and the rest, terrified, broke through the encirclement and scattered.

The Imperial Guards also suffered heavy casualties, with less than half of them still able to fight.

However, after this battle, the elite private armies of the seven noble families, including the Wei and Nu clans, were also completely wiped out.

Three days later, the mission arrived at the city of Lhasa.

The city gates were tightly shut, and the walls were lined with swords and spears. Trisong Detsen did not come out to greet them, but instead sent a minor official to deliver a message:

"The King is ill and unable to receive guests. Please ask Prime Minister Su to stay outside the city for the time being, and we will meet again when his condition improves."

Clearly, the pro-war faction in Lhasa has taken control of the situation, and even the king has been placed under house arrest.

Su Qingxuan, instead of being angry, laughed: "Very well, then I, Su, will wait here. However—"

He looked towards the city wall.

"Tell those nobles in the city that I, Su, will only wait three days. If the city gates are not opened after three days, I will go in myself."

That night, a man secretly slipped out of Lhasa; it turned out to be Gar Tongtsen's trusted old servant.

He brought a secret message: the pro-war faction within the city, led by Shang Jiezan, had united with twelve noble families, imprisoned the Zanpu (king), and seized control of an army of 50,000. No longer daring to openly kill the envoy, they devised a treacherous plan—

Invite Su Qingxuan, who may bring no more than five attendants, to the "Debate Platform." Ostensibly, the purpose is to debate the merits of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Legalism, and Bon religion. In reality, the purpose is to invite twelve centenarian high priests from the Zhangzhung tribe to set up a "Heart-Slaying Demon Array."

This formation does not harm the physical body, but it erodes the mind and spirit. Even if the high priest himself enters the formation, he will be plagued by inner demons and his foundation of cultivation will be destroyed.

"Prime Minister Su, you absolutely must not keep the appointment!" Zhou Wenjin's face turned pale.

Su Qingxuan burned the secret letter and said calmly, "Go, why not go? They want to debate the scriptures, so I will debate with them!"

They wanted to destroy my spirit, so I'll show them what 'a steadfast heart on the path' truly means!

The next day, in the north of Lhasa, at the debating platform.

This platform is made of black stone, nine zhang high, and shaped like a lotus seat.

It is said to have been built by Songtsen Gampo, the founder of the Tubo Kingdom, when he married Princess Wencheng of the former Xia Dynasty, and has a history of several thousand years.

Prayer flags fluttered on the stage, while the audience below was a sea of ​​people.

Tibetan nobles, monks, and common people gathered, numbering well over 100,000.

Su Qingxuan only brought four attendants.

Chi Ying, Lin Wanqing, Xiao Lingyue, Xiao Lingxi.

All five were dressed in casual clothes and walked up the stage.

The fewer than two thousand Imperial Guards below the stage stood solemnly with their hands on their swords, facing off against the fifty thousand Tibetan troops, the atmosphere heavy and tense.

On the platform, Shang Jiezan sat in the main seat, flanked by six Bon priests on each side, all dressed in colorful feather robes and with their faces painted with cinnabar.

Upon seeing Su Qingxuan step onto the stage, Shang Jiezan smiled insincerely and said, "Chief Minister Su is indeed a man of his word. Today's debate will disregard social status and focus solely on reason."

"If Prime Minister Su can win over the hearts of our Tibetan high monks and virtuous masters, we will naturally open the city gates to welcome them and request the Zanpu to hold an alliance meeting. If not..." He sneered.

"Then please leave!"

"Please!" Su Qingxuan didn't waste any words and calmly sat down with the four women.

The first debate began with a centenarian Bon high priest rising to his feet.

This old man had attained the ability to read minds, and his words went straight to the heart of the matter:

"Prime Minister Su, I see in your heart that there is great ambition, compassion, and also... a trace of obsession."

"Your intention to implement new policies and bring peace and happiness to all people is commendable, but forcibly changing the thousand-year-old customs of Tibet is nothing short of another form of tyranny."

"We Tibetans are born on horseback and die by sword; this is our destiny. To bind us with the laws and customs of the Xia dynasty is no different from breaking the wings of an eagle."

These words were vicious, directly questioning Su Qingxuan's "Dao Heart"—

Are you truly acting in Tibet's best interests, or are you simply promoting your own ideology?

Lin Wanqing stood up.

She looked at the old priest and said gently, "High Priest, do you know why eagles can soar through the heavens?"

Without waiting for an answer, she answered herself: "Because it has strong wings, and because it knows when to flap its wings and when to perch on a branch."

"If one only knows how to flap one's wings and never knows how to rest, one will eventually fall to one's death from exhaustion. Tibet is like an eagle; its bravery is its wings, but in hundreds of years of war, have those wings ever rested?"

"Last year's snowstorm froze millions of cattle and sheep to death, and this spring's epidemic has left the dead piled high. This eagle is exhausted."

"Our celestial Xia delegation has come here not to break the wings of the eagle, but to let this eagle..."

There are branches to perch on, food to find, and nests to return to...

So that its offspring would not fall from the nest generation after generation, leaving no trace of their remains.

The old priest remained silent.

Many Tibetan people in the audience secretly shed tears.

For the second debate, another high priest rose.

This person is skilled in illusion, with eyes like swirling vortexes that can sway a person's heart:

"Prime Minister Su, you keep saying you're doing what's best for Tibet, but you Chinese have always regarded us as barbarians."

"Even if we form an alliance today, if Great Xia becomes stronger and more powerful in the future, it will surely turn against us and invade us. History is replete with such examples. How can Tibet trust you?"

These are malicious words that incite ethnic divisions.

Xiao Lingyue clasped her hands together and spoke, her voice ethereal like a Buddhist chant: "Master, you are attached to appearances!"

The Buddha said that all beings are equal, so why distinguish between Xia and Ba?

"When Princess Wencheng entered Tibet, she brought artisans, taught them skills, promoted medicine, built temples, and spread the Buddhism of our Great Xia. The Tibetan people have benefited from this to this day."

"Now that we have physicians from the Great Xia Dynasty accompanying us, how many Tibetan herders have their eye diseases and frostbite cured along the way? Master, please look at the audience below—"

She pointed to the herders who had been treated, "Was there even a trace of hatred for the Xia people in their eyes?"

Below the stage, the herders who had been healed by Xiao Lingxi knelt down, shouting, "Prime Minister Su is a Bodhisattva! Miss Xiao is Tara!"

The will of the people is clear, and the outcome is immediately apparent.

For the third debate, Shang Jiezan personally stood up.

The true intentions were revealed: "Chief Minister Su, no matter how eloquent you are, there is one thing you cannot refute—"

If you weren't so powerful that you repeatedly defeated my Tibetan army, would you be here trying to reason with us?

Ultimately, this world is still a dog-eat-dog world.

"Today you are strong, so you can preach here. But one day when Tibet is strong, it can also trample Luoyang on horseback!"

This statement is blunt and directly points to the cruel nature of the world.

Su Qingxuan finally got up.

He walked slowly to the edge of the platform, looked at the 100,000 Tibetan soldiers and civilians, and spoke in a low but resonant voice:

"What Grand Minister Shang Jiezan said is both right and wrong."

"That's right, if you don't have the strength, you're not qualified to speak here. What's wrong is—I'm displaying force not to oppress, but to protect the righteous path."

"What is the Tao?"

"It is the way to prevent the weak from being bullied by the strong, the way to ensure that the young are cared for and the elderly have a proper end, the way to ensure that all things find their proper place and that the world is at peace!"

"This principle requires strength to uphold it. The sons and daughters of Great Xia are shedding their blood here to uphold this principle; I am debating with you all here to clarify this principle."

"I am not seeking Tibet's submission, but rather inviting Tibet to join me—"

Join me in protecting this path.

"The courage of Tibetan men should not be used to plunder neighboring countries, but to protect their homeland, reclaim the wilderness, and ensure that the people of the snowy plateau are free from hunger and cold."

"The wisdom of Tibetan women lies not in worrying all day about their husbands dying in battle, but in weaving cloth, raising children, and passing on civilization."

"This path, are you—will you uphold it?"

One hundred thousand soldiers and civilians remained completely silent.

Shang Jiezan's face turned ashen, and he suddenly shouted, "Form the battle formation!"

The twelve high priests on the platform chanted in unison.

Blood-red runes suddenly lit up on the ground of the debate platform!

The runes moved like living things, transforming into a huge, ferocious skull pattern.

The center of the pattern is where Su Qingxuan and the four women stood.

A cold, violent, and despairing aura surged from the ground, directly impacting Su Qingxuan's mind!

In an instant, hallucinations flooded his vision:

Seeing the fall of Luoyang and the massacre of its people;

Seeing the four women die violently before my eyes;

Seeing his foundation of cultivation completely destroyed, reduced to a cripple;

It also reveals the deepest, most hidden fears within our hearts—

Through countless cycles of reincarnation, long-cherished wishes have come to nothing, and all efforts have been in vain...

Chi Ying, Lin Wanqing, Xiao Lingyue, and Xiao Lingxi all groaned at the same time and fell to the ground.

They were connected to Su Qingxuan by their energy and were also affected by the demonic array, each seeing their most terrifying visions:

Chi Ying saw herself reduced to a puppet who only knew how to kill, and she killed her own comrades.

Lin Wanqing witnessed the burning of history books and the cessation of civilization;

Xiao Lingyue witnessed the annihilation of Buddhism and the eternal damnation of all beings;

Xiao Lingxi saw the plague raging and there was no hope of saving it...

"Brother Su!" Xiao Lingxi cried out in anguish.

Su Qingxuan stood in the formation, eyes closed and motionless.

A fine bead of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his body swayed slightly.

Logically speaking, given Su Qingxuan's level of cultivation, such a demonic array would be utterly insignificant.

But its impact on him was beyond his expectations.

This was not an illusion, but rather something that could stir up his karmic connections spanning tens of thousands of years—

In that lifetime, his ancestor was a saint of the three religions and practiced the Great Dao with four maidens, but ultimately failed to achieve perfection, leaving behind regrets.

This regret, like a demon in one's heart, was fully unleashed at this moment.

"So that's how it is..." Su Qingxuan realized.

"This trial was not set up by the Tibetans; it is my own tribulation. I am well aware of the cause and effect over ten thousand years."

He stopped resisting and instead let go of his inner demons, allowing them to run rampant.

Ancient scenes flooded in like a tide:

Debates atop snow-capped mountains, free clinics on the grasslands, long conversations in ancient temples...

The final image freezes on the scene where the four maids and the ancestor go to the battlefield with the Demon Lord...

Su Qingxuan opened his eyes, and there was no longer any confusion or fear in them, only a clear and enlightened understanding.

Lift your foot and take a step forward.

"Click—"

The crimson runes beneath their feet shattered instantly.

With another step, another rune shattered.

He walked steadily toward the center of the formation.

With each step he took, his aura became a little purer.

The Confucian ideal of moderation and uprightness, the Daoist ideal of naturalness, and the Buddhist ideal of compassion.

At this moment, they merge perfectly, transforming into a vital force that encompasses all things and nourishes all living beings.

The formation is broken!

The twelve high priests screamed in unison, blood flowing from their seven orifices, and collapsed to the ground.

The Heart-Slaying Demon Array has backfired!

Su Qingxuan walked to the center of the formation, bent down, and used his finger as a pen to write a single character in the center of the crimson runes—

"and".

The gold lettering shines brightly.

All the crimson runes melted away like ice and snow, and the debating platform returned to its original state.

Shang Jiezan's face turned ashen, and he slumped into his chair.

Below the stage, among 100,000 soldiers and civilians, no one knows who knelt down first, but then, like a tide, they all knelt down one after another.

In the end, even the Tibetan soldiers guarding the city walls abandoned their weapons and knelt down.

"Open the city gates! Welcome the Sage Su!" Someone shouted first, followed by a deafening roar.

The gates of Lhasa slowly opened.

Three days later, at the palace of Lhasa, the grand ceremony of the covenant took place.

Trisong Detsen personally presented the Tibetan imperial seal and a map of its territory, and tearfully said, "Tibet wishes to be a vassal state of Great Xia forever, and will relinquish the title of Zanpu (Tibetan king) and become the Protector-General of Tibet."

Open trade routes, follow Xia rites, use the Xia calendar, and implement Xia laws.

Please, Heavenly Khan, send your Chief Secretary and Commandant to Jieluoxie to assist Tibet in developing water conservancy, promoting agriculture and sericulture, and establishing schools…”

The alliance was formed, and Xia and Fan were to be brothers forever.

That night, Trisong Detsen invited Su Qingxuan and four women to a secret hall deep within the Potala Palace.

There were no lights in the hall, only luminous pearls embedded in the four walls, illuminating a huge ancient mural.

In the mural, a man in white stands atop a snow-capped mountain with four women, gazing up at the stars.

The man's appearance bore a striking resemblance to Su Qingxuan, and the four women's attire and demeanor corresponded perfectly to Chi Ying, Lin Wanqing, Xiao Lingyue, and Xiao Lingxi.

In one corner of the mural is an ancient Tibetan inscription, which, after interpretation, roughly means:

"In a certain year in ancient times, a sage came from the east, accompanied by four attendants, who were in charge of the four aspects of military, Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist laws."

He opened a platform to preach on the snowy peak, and the sermon lasted for three months.

After preaching, the sage, accompanied by four attendants, ascended to heaven in a rosy cloud...

The four attendants, their merits not yet complete, will be reincarnated to await a destined person to continue their karmic connection and together complete the Great Dao.

The five people stood in front of the mural, silent for a long time.

Past events, like smoke and mist, linger in my heart.

Those hazy fragments of memory are gradually becoming clearer:

Ten thousand years ago, they traveled together across mountains and rivers, discussing philosophy and helping the world.

Chi Ying stroked the portrait of the woman in military attire on the wall and murmured, "So this is how I acquired my martial arts skills..."

Lin Wanqing sighed softly: "That explains why I often feel a sense of déjà vu when reading those ancient books."

Xiao Lingyue clasped her hands together: "Cultivation in a past life, continuing the karmic connection in this one. Amitabha!"

Xiao Lingxi, tears streaming down her face, said, "So... so our meeting with Brother Su wasn't a coincidence."

Su Qingxuan reached out and gently touched the face of the white-robed man on the mural, feeling the warm, jade-like texture on his fingertips.

He understood that his pursuit of "the unity of the three religions and the common path of the mortals and saints" in this life was not something that arose out of thin air, but rather a continuation of a long-cherished wish spanning millennia.

"The past life is gone, this life is more important." He turned around and looked at the four women.

"Regardless of your past lives, in this life you are Chi Ying, Lin Wanqing, Xiao Lingyue, and Xiao Lingxi."

She is the daughter of my Great Xia Dynasty, the creator and guardian of this glorious era.

Your path is in this life, in this world, under your feet.

Upon hearing this, the four women looked at each other and smiled.

Tears glistened in his eyes, yet they were filled with relief and determination.

Chide Songtsen bowed and said, "Sage Su, I have another request—"

Thirty li south of the city lies an ancient ruin called the "Reincarnation Platform." Legend has it that those with a predestined fate can witness the karma of their past lives here. I wonder…

"No need," Su Qingxuan waved his hand and smiled.

"Cause and effect are known, and the Great Way is before us."

"Tomorrow, I will set off westward, heading towards the countries of Bolu, Dayuan, and Yuezhi."

My true purpose... is that Tibet has not yet fully submitted to my will, and you should set an example of submission.

Su Qingxuan paused, not saying it explicitly, but implying something: "My trip here is also to clear obstacles for you. I... will definitely return within a month."

"You may have someone set up the 'Xia-Fan Alliance Altar' beforehand, until I return!"

"Hmm? This..." Chide Songzan was taken aback, seemingly not understanding the implied meaning in Su Xiang's words.

"Time waits for no one!" Su Qingxuan looked out at the starry sky outside the hall.

He didn't even have to fully understand:

"The imperial edict is on its way... and I must remove all barriers in time."

"I want to see the entire Western Regions, spanning thousands of miles, brought under the rule of the king in my lifetime."

Seeing the Xia-Hu family, there will be no more war;

Behold, this glorious and prosperous era has truly arrived!

It is:

The smoke of war in the snowy land has turned to jade dust; in the Lhasa Palace, we learn from past causes.

Where a single thought breaks the formation after ten thousand years, the three religions shine together to settle the will of Heaven.